The invention relates, in general, to a lubricant conditioning system. In particular, the invention relates to a lubricant conditioning system for an internal combustion engine. More particularly the invention relates to a lubricant conditioning system having a plurality of subsystems controlling the thermal aberrations of the lubricant in the internal combustion engine.
An internal combustion engine is typically mounted or installed in a vehicle used to transport products or people. Examples of vehicles are automobiles, trucks, airplanes, boats, etc. To propel a particular vehicle, the internal combustion engine generates power that is transformed into motion or torque. Typically, the torque is transferred to a drive train that propels the vehicle. The internal combustion engine operates or functions in the delivery of power to the drive train through a plurality of moving parts that require lubrication to maintain operable working performance. The required lubrication is supplied to the moving parts by the engine""s internal lubrication system. The lubrication system may, if desired, comprise a lubricant sump and a lubricant pump disposed within the confines of the lubricant sump. Typically, the lubricant pump provides the lubricant to the highest internal point or points requiring lubrication. Typically, the highest point or points of the engine are the rocker arm or overhead cam assembly The lubricant is then gravity fed to the lowest point requiring lubrication and finally returns to the lubricant sump.
The internal combustion engine, in the course of operation, generates energy that is not completely converted into torque for the drive train. The unconverted energy is dissipated by the engine in the form of heat. In an effort to maximize the operating capacity of the engine, the generated heat is transferred to a coolant. The coolant via a heat exchanger dissipates the heat into the atmosphere. Lubricant also acts as a coolant to the internal combustion engine. However, transferring energy to lubricant in the form of heat causes the viscosity of the lubricant to decrease i.e. the flow rate of the lubricant increases. The increase in temperature is reflected in a decrease of the effectiveness of the lubricant. Lubricant that has a relative high viscosity lubricates moving parts or assembles to a higher degree than lubricant that has a relatively low viscosity.
Resolution of the above discussed dichotomy has been attempted in the past. Efforts have produced a heat exchanger, air cooled pumping mechanisms, and heated lubrication mechanisms all of which proved to be inadequate in compensating for the dichotomy of a need for lubrication versus decreased lubrication due to heat.
It would be desirable to have lubricant conditioning system that thermally manages or controls the temperature, viscosity, and filtering of lubricant for an internal combustion engine. It would be further desirable for the lubricant conditioning system to be adaptable to any type of internal combustion engine.
The present invention is a lubricant conditioning system to thermally manage or control the temperature, viscosity, evacuation, and filtering of lubricant for an internal combustion engine. The present invention is adaptable to any type of internal combustion engine. The internal combustion engine may, if desired, be air cooled or water cooled. Typically, the internal combustion engine has an engine lubricant sump to receive and store engine lubricant and a lubricant filter housing to attach a lubricant filter or filters.
The present invention has a lubricant distribution subsystem that is operationally mounted to the internal combustion engine""s lubricant filter housing and the engine""s lubricant sump. The present invention further comprising a lubricant filtering subsystem and a thermal conditioning subsystem integrated thereto. The lubricant filtering subsystem is in lubricant or fluid communication with the lubricant distribution subsystem. A lubricant filtering subsystem outtake manifold is operationally disposed within the confines of the thermal conditioning subsystem. The thermal conditioning subsystem is operationally disposed about the lubricant filtering subsystem outtake manifold. The temperature of the thermal conditioning subsystem disposed about the lubricant filtering subsystem""s outtake manifold may, if desired, be selectively adjusted to control the thermal aberrations of the lubricant prior to redistribution of the lubricant by the lubricant distribution subsystem.
In the preferred embodiment of the present invention the lubricant filtering subsystem is mounted onto the thermal conditioning subsystem wherein the lubricant filtering subsystem is in lubricant or fluid communication with the lubricant distribution subsystem and the thermal conditioning subsystem is in fluid communication with the engine""s cooling system. Typically, the engine will be cold due to suspended activity. The lubricant in the engine while in the cooling process will migrate or drip into the lubricant sump via the galleries or capillaries inherent to an internal combustion engine""s lubrication system. Once the engine is cooled or cold, the lubricant increases its viscosity with the decrease in temperature i.e., lubricant viscosity is inversely related to temperature.
Upon activating or starting the cold internal combustion engine and activating the present invention via a switch, a thermally controlled conduit begins heating the lubricant in the lubricant sump. Since lubricant viscosity is inversely related to temperature, the lubricant""s viscosity decreases. The lubricant is pumped through the lubricant distribution subsystem via a valve and is circulated throughout the internal combustion engine""s lubrication system. As the engine is operated, the engine""s lubricant is pumped to the lubricant filtering subsystem. The lubricant filtering subsystem filters the lubricant. The lubricant is then pumped to the internal combustion engine""s lubrication system. The engine increases in its operation capacity thereby heating its associated coolant. When the engine""s coolant is sufficiently heated, an inline thermostat is activated enabling coolant to circulate about the outtake manifold thereby cooling the lubricant. The cooled lubricant is then pumped to the engine""s lubrication system.
The second embodiment of the present invention comprises a lubricant filtering subsystem connected to a heat exchanger. The heated or hot lubricant is received from the engine""s lubrication system or from the lubrication distribution subsystem via a conduit. The heated lubricant is filtered by at least one inverted lubricant filter. The filtered lubricant is distributed to the heat exchanger via an outtake manifold. The filtered lubricant is cooled in the heat exchanger by the flow of air, either fan driven or ambient. Ambient airflow may consist of ducting or venting to derive cooling air from vehicle motion.
The third embodiment of the present invention enables the user of the present invention to adapt or connect the present invention directly to the internal combustion engine via the lubricant distribution subsystem. The lubricant subsystem comprises a sump pump connected to a pair of valves. The valves may, if desired, be manual, electrical, or electromechanically operated solenoids. One end of a thermally controlled conduit is connected to the sump pump. The other end of the thermally controlled conduit is connected to the lubricant sump.
The command and control of the third embodiment of the present invention may, if desired, be via a plurality of controls that actuate the valves or solenoids. A normally open switch is connected to one of the valves and the sump pump. The first switch may, if desired, be activated or closed thereby starting the lubricant evacuation of the engine. A second normally open switch is connected to a pair of valves. If desired, the second switch may be activated or closed thereby activating the preheating of the lubricant.
The fourth embodiment of the present invention 10 is a switch operated lubricant conditioning system. The lubricant filtering subsystem and the thermal conditioning subsystem are configured in the same manner as was discussed in the preferred embodiment of the present invention. A heat exchanger is mountably disposed to the thermal conditioning subsystem and the lubricant distribution system. An electric fan may, if desired, be operationally installed on the heat exchanger. The electric fan receives its power via the vehicle""s engine. The fourth embodiment receives hot lubricant from the lubricant distribution system and is cooled by the combination of the heat exchanger and the fan. After the lubricant is cooled it is pumped to the lubricant filtering subsystem wherein the cooled lubricant is filtered. After the filtering of the lubricant, the lubricant traverses through a conduit to the lubricant distribution system for re-entry into the internal combustion engine.
A three-way switch is mounted onto the thermal conditioning subsystem. The first position of the switch controls the operation of the pump of the lubricant distribution system. In this particular position, the pump is deactivated and the lubricant traverses the engine""s lubrication system in a normal manner. The second position of the switch activates the pump to begin the lubricant evacuation from the lubricant sump. The third position of the switch activates the preheating cycle. The preheating cycle electrically disengages the thermal conditioning subsystem and the lubricant filtering subsystem from the lubricant distribution system. The third position also activates the thermally controlled conduit. The preheat cycle heats the lubricant as it is being pumped from the lubricant sump through the lubricant distribution system before returning to the internal combustion engine""s lubrication system.
When taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the appended claims, other features and advantages of the present invention become apparent upon reading the following detailed description of embodiments of the invention.